“In some ways, John Howard is one of the least conservative prime ministers to occupy the Lodge. He is not a stickler for due process. Unlike his political hero, Sir Robert Menzies, he is not steeped in the great traditions of individual liberty inherited from the English legal system. Although he honoured the ‘progressive spirit of the Enlightenment’ in his 2006 Australia Day address, he is quick to ditch its key precepts when it suits.”
In “The Lone Ranger”, Walkley-winning journalist Brian Toohey looks at the ways in which the prime minister has acted outside the boundaries of the Westminster principle while in office, sidelining the public service and abandoning due process. He examines the cases of water policy, the Iraq war and David Hicks; and, in particular, Australia’s extravagant and extraordinary defence spending under Howard, including the controversial $16-billion acquisition of Joint Strike Fighter planes.
“Is there something sinister about Howard’s expansion of governmental power? Not in the sense that a would-be dictator lurks behind his reassuringly dull facade. Yet to flagrantly disregard long-established safeguards against abuses of power is no way for the leader of a government, whether conservative or liberal, to behave.”
A very interesting read indeed.
throw him out at the next election...
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Today was a pretty lazy day (something I learnt from Keiser to value). Sue D came over to watch the Essendon vs Carlton game on TV. I even made sausage rolls using puff pastry and organic sausages.
It was a real roller coaster ride of a game. Carlton was behind by a huge margin and came back to win the game by the smallest of margins.
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